Notarization is the premise of authentication. Notarization refers to the fact that the national notary office proves the authenticity and legality of legal acts, documents and facts with legal significance according to the application of the parties, so as to protect public property, civil status, property rights and legitimate interests. Notarization is a non-litigation activity. Certification, also known as consular certification, refers to a country's diplomatic and consular organs certifying that the final signature and seal of a notary office or certification body on a notarized document are true.

1. Different definitions

Notarization is an activity in which a notarization institution proves the authenticity and legality of civil legal acts, facts and documents with legal significance according to the application of natural persons, legal persons or other organizations and legal procedures. The common ones are notarization of kinship, notarization of no crime, notarization of driving license, notarization of power of attorney for unilateral parents to take their children abroad, notarization of birth, notarization of birth medical certificate and so on.

Authentication is usually divided into single authentication and double authentication. Single certification refers to documents sent abroad for use. Only after certification can they be accepted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China or its authorized institutions. Double authentication means that China's foreign-related notarial certificates and commercial documents generally need to be authenticated by the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China or its authorized provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government), and also need to be authenticated by embassies and consulates in China, the country where the documents are used.

2. Different processing institutions

Notarization shall be handled by the notary office. A notarization institution is a certification institution established according to law, which is not for profit, independently exercises notarization functions and bears civil liability according to law.

Certification shall be handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign affairs departments of local people's governments entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hereinafter referred to as local foreign affairs offices), embassies and consulates abroad and other foreign institutions entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If it is dual-certification, there are also embassies and consulates in China, the country where the documents are used.

3. The processing sequence is different

If a document needs both notarization and authentication, it is generally notarized at the notary office first, and the notarized certificate is sent to the consular department for authentication. If it is a double certification, the notarial certificate should also be sent to the embassy of the user country in China for handling.

Notarization precedes authentication, and this order cannot be changed.

4. The objects of proof are different.

The object of notarization is the authenticity and legality of civil legal acts, facts and documents with legal significance; The object of authentication is the authenticity of the last seal and signature on domestic foreign-related notarial certificates, other supporting documents or relevant foreign documents. Simply put, the notarization institution proves the authenticity and legality of the documents or actions submitted by the parties, and the consular certification department proves the authenticity of the seal of the notarization institution and the signature seal of the notary.

1. Notarization refers to the fact that the national notary office proves the authenticity and legality of legal acts, documents with legal significance and facts according to the application of the parties, so as to protect public property, civil status, property rights and legitimate interests. Notarization is a non-litigation activity.

2. Authentication, also known as consular authentication, refers to the fact that the diplomatic and consular organs of a country certify that the final signature and seal of the notary organ or certification body on the notarization document are true. The purpose of consular certification is to make the notarized documents issued by one country recognized by the relevant authorities of another country, and not to affect the extraterritorial legal effect of the documents because of doubts about the authenticity of the signatures or seals on the documents. Consular authentication usually only confirms the authenticity of the signatures and seals of notaries, notary organs, officials and the organs responsible for authentication, and does not involve the notarization content itself.

Notarization is the premise of authentication. Only after completing the notarization procedure can the subsequent certification be handled. Authentication is relative to notarization. The authentication mentioned here refers to consular authentication and embassy authentication.

Legal basis:

Article 27 of the Notarization Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) * * * The parties applying for notarization shall truthfully explain the relevant information about the matters applying for notarization to the notary office and provide true, legal and sufficient certification materials; If the supporting materials provided are not sufficient, the notary office may request to supplement them. After accepting the application for notarization, the notarization institution shall inform the parties of the legal significance and possible legal consequences of the application for notarization, and record the contents of the notification.